Takedown Report

Wrestling History – # 8

1 } – Brian Smith: My Wrestling Hero
The 43rd installment of My Wrestling Hero features Brian Smith. The Missouri coach shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes, including Dan Gable and Randy Miller.  These are Smith’s words on his wrestling heroes:
“I didn’t start wrestling until ninth grade so most of my heroes were other sports. I got into wrestling and I read a book when I was young on Dan Gable. My wrestling hero would have been Dan Gable. I grew up in Florida where there was no college wrestling and there weren’t really heroes and there wasn’t the Internet, so there was no way to follow the sport like kids today. Kids today know about Ben Askren, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and all these guys. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1591395460657&twSessionId=riyuqrwkjt&postId=782338135&mc_cid=2e4d96fd0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – Before he became the head coach at Grundy High School, Travis Fiser forged his mat identity in Iowa
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on Grundy High School wrestling coach Travis Fiser. The second installment will appear in Saturday’s Bristol Herald Courier.
Travis Fiser was a sophomore wrestler at Kirkwood Community College and was looking to stay in tip-top shape over Christmas break in 1988. After wrapping up practice one day at a local high school (Kirkwood did not have its own wrestling room on campus), Fiser happened to bump into Barry Davis, a three-time national champion at the University of Iowa, and asked about possibly coming to Iowa City and working out with some of the Hawkeyes. … rest of story at _{https://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/prep-wrestling-before-he-became-the-head-coach-at-grundy-high-school-travis-fiser-forged/article_97263fde-a6a5-11ea-8721-6704c392573b.html?mc_cid=2e4d96fd0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – Stan Dziedzic is a hero for wrestling at home and abroad
Another wrestling movie should be on its way and it could be the best one yet.  This is actually just an idea for a wrestling movie but it really needs to get made. Most wrestling films conclude with a glorious victory for the protagonist or an important lesson that was learned in spite of a loss.  Not this movie. This is a political action thriller that is less about on-the-mat competition and more about saving the world as we know it. It would have a “Bourne Identity” or “Mission Impossible” feel to it with a Jack Ryan-type character taking the lead. Except our Jack Ryan would be a World champion in freestyle wrestling who uses his tactical mind and his negotiation skills to save wrestling for future generations. The star of our wrestling movie is Stan Dziedzic. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1591492726727&twSessionId=jajstqubjm&postId=782348135&mc_cid=2e4d96fd0e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – Tommy Rowlands: My Wrestling Hero
The 49th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Tommy Rowlands. The two-time NCAA champion and six-time U.S. men’s freestyle National Team member shares his thoughts on his wrestling hero: Former Ohio State coach Russ Hellickson.  These are Rowlands’ words on his wrestling hero:
“When I really think of it, I’d say my wrestling hero is Russ Hellickson. He was a very accomplished wrestler, but he earned his success the hard way. He wasn’t even an All-American at the collegiate level and went on to become an 11-time U.S. National champion, a three- or four-time World medalist, an Olympic silver medalist, and just an athlete, even though I wasn’t around, really represented himself in this country with tremendous honor. Not without adversity, either. He lost to (Ivan) Yarygin in the Olympic final. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1591925712097&twSessionId=ffjpvzovff&postId=782710135&mc_cid=d457d68b82&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Dan Gable: My Wrestling Hero
The 51st installment of My Wrestling Hero features Dan Gable. The legendary former Iowa coach and 1972 Olympic gold medalist shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes, including Bob Buzzard and Tom Peckham.  These are Gable’s words on his wrestling heroes:
“I have a lot of heroes in wrestling. My first wrestling hero was Bob Buzzard just for grabbing me and taking me with him when I was a kid. As I became a little older, Tom Peckham became the next guy. Buzzard was my hero because of his personal interest in me and helping me a lot initially, but then Tom Peckham because I liked his on the mat style. It wasn’t fancy, but it was definitely effective with a lot of control and controlling his opponent, whether it was from the ties or from the top position. He was a tough guy. Those two guys are my wrestling heroes … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1592104326466&twSessionId=nxaqdpuhoe&postId=782801135&mc_cid=f75b9fce50&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – Chris Feder, 73, active USA Wrestling and Maccabi USA leader, passed away Monday
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING 
USA Wrestling received sad news that wrestling leader Chris Feder, 73, of San Rafael, Calif. passed away on Monday. Feder, active within USA Wrestling and Maccabi USA Wrestling for many years, made a tremendous impact on wrestling and on the lives of others as an athlete, coach, friend and a leader. “He did a whole lot for a lot of people, asking for nothing in return,” said Mike Kosoy, now an assistant wrestling coach at Oregon State who was coached by Feder at the Maccabiah Games. “He should be recognized not only for what he did for the sport, but for what he did for the people around him. He brought a different energy to the room whenever he entered, something I may never see again. He was an extraordinary person.” … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/June/16/Chris-Feder-obituary?mc_cid=5a3eb39922&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – David Taylor: My Wrestling Hero
The 53rd installment of My Wrestling Hero features David Taylor. The two-time Hodge Trophy winner and 2018 World champion shares his thoughts on his wrestling hero: Cael Sanderson.  These are Taylor’s words on his wrestling hero:
“I remember as a kid, we used to drive down to Wasatch (Utah, Sanderson’s hometown, for workouts), and just being around him briefly. When we’d go to tournaments, he was a celebrity at that time. People would bring him into the Tulsa Nationals to sign autographs, and I don’t know if he remembered me, but I’d bring my friends up and I’d be like, ‘I know Cael. Hey, Logan, this is Cael.’ He was always great at saying, ‘Oh yeah, hey guys, how are you doing?’ So that was part of it.  “But the biggest reason was just the way he wrestled. I remember watching wrestling and being like, ‘Why is no one else scoring points? This guy’s going out and scoring 15, 20 points a match. That’s the way I want to wrestle.’  “He’s the biggest influence of my career to this day.  … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1592240128343&twSessionId=licuvlsdyu&postId=782810135&mc_cid=76bedc2d68&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } = FAMU inducts 10 in 2020 Hall of Fame Class
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Florida A&M University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will induct 10 new members into its Hall of Fame this fall, vice president and director of athletics Kortne Gosha said Monday. The new inductees include seven former student-athletes and three contributors. The class will be honored during the Rattlers’ home opener against South Carolina State on Sept. 19 and a formal ceremony will be held at a later date. …
Harold and Caroll Roberts, Wrestling (1967-1970). Twin brothers, Harold and Caroll Roberts of Miami, were stellar members of the FAMU Men’s Wrestling teams of the late 1960s through the early 1970s. Each brother won two (2) state titles between 1968 and 1970, and both were state finalists in 1968 and 1969. … rest of story at ^{https://www.wtxl.com/sports/college-sports/famu/famu-inducts-10-in-2020-hall-of-fame-class?mc_cid=76bedc2d68&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9 } – Why I love sports: R. Wayne Baughman’s All-American life made special by countless people
BY R. WAYNE BAUGHMAN
Editor’s note: Three-time Olympic wrestler and former coach R. Wayne Baughman, who also was a three-time All-American and 1962 NCAA champion at OU, tells The Oklahoman why he loves sports. The coaches, trainers, mentors, role models and maybe even a few administrators, officials and sports media are why I love sports. They are my sports heroes. Although sometimes I love to hate a few them. Being raised in Oklahoma, my first sports hero was Jim Thorpe, the greatest athlete of all time. He won the 1912 Olympics in the pentathlon and decathlon, played professional football and baseball and I believe also played college basketball. In elementary school, I read everything I could about Jim Thorpe and watched the movie “Jim Thorpe — All-American” numerous times. My first football heroes were University of Oklahoma running backs Clendon Thomas and Tommy McDonald. … rest of story at _{https://oklahoman.com/article/5664579/why-i-love-sports-r-wayne-baughmans-all-american-life-made-special-by-countless-people?mc_cid=f75b9fce50&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – The lost legacies of Lee Kemp and Chris Campbell led to fewer opportunities for future black wrestlers
History will always show that Kenny Monday was the first black wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal. His overtime victory over the Soviet Union’s Adlan Varaev during the 74-kilogram freestyle finals was a dramatic and powerful moment at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. The newly crowned Olympic champion raised his arms in jubilation before Dave Schultz —the reigning Olympic champion at the weight class — paraded around the mat with Monday on his shoulders.  It was a seminal moment for wrestling and for the advancement of black wrestlers across the globe. Monday’s victory represented something far greater than an Olympic gold medal — it paved the way for black wrestlers to see what’s possible. 
“I’ve had guys who are grown now with their own kids who said they got into wrestling by watching me win the Olympics — especially black wrestlers,” Monday said. “Winning an Olympic gold medal gives you a different platform. You can win the NCAAs and you can win World titles, but the Olympic Games gives you a whole different platform.  “I didn’t really realize it until I won.  … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?postId=782803135&mc_cid=76bedc2d68&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

July 3, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized